Automotive vehicle head and neck rest

ABSTRACT

Automobile seat headrest having a curved, approximately wedgeshaped in side cross section, cushioned body, with a narrow curved top edge and a wide curved bottom edge; supporting rods extending into the body and being connected thereto by pivot support means which permit pivoting of the headrest; a sector shaped insert in the cushioned body, through which the supporting rods pass, the walls defining the sector serving as the limit stops for the pivoting motion of the body; an auto seat includes a bushing for each supporting rod, which bushing has a break in the walls thereof to permit the arms of a detent spring to mass through the walls and engage in one of the detent grooves on the supporting rod; the detent grooves face downward to impede downward headrest movement.

United States Patent Inventors Kurt Czlptsehirseh;

Gunter him, both of Wuppertal-Bnrmen,

AUTOMOTIVE VEHICLE HEAD AND NECK REST 8 Claims, 5 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl 297/410,

Int. Cl A47e 7/36,

Field of Search 297/39 l 397, 4 l0; 248/407, 408, 423; 108/146; 287/58CT Primary Examiner-Casmir A. Nunberg Attorney-Ostrolenk, Faber, Gerb &Sofl'en ABSTRACT: Automobile seat headrest having a curved,approximately wedge-shaped in side cross section, cushioned body, with anarrow curved top edge and a wide curved bottom edge; supporting rodsextending into the body and being connected thereto by pivot supportmeans which permit pivoting of the headrest; a sector shaped insert inthe cushioned body, through which the supporting rods pass, the wallsdefining the sector serving as the limit stops for the pivoting motionof the body; an auto seat includes a bushing for each supporting rod,which bushing has a break in the walls thereof to permit the arms of adetent spring to mass through the walls and engage in one of the detentgrooves on the supporting rod; the detent grooves face downward toimpede downward headrest movement.

PATENTED SEP28 l9?! SHEET 2 OF 3 AUTOMOTIVE VEHICLE HEAD AND NECK RESTThe present invention relates to a head and neck rest, particularly forthe seat of an automotive vehicle, which headrest is provided with acushioned body that is pivotally supported on preferably verticallyadjustable supporting rods.

lt is an object of the present invention to provide a head and neck restof this type, which is easily manufactured and is stable in itself, andwhich is adjustable so that the user can optionally select one amongdifferently shaped head and necksupporting surfaces.

In accordance with the invention, the cushioned body of the head andneck rest has a wedge-shaped side cross section with a rounded narrowtop edge and with an approximately circular rear edge, and with thepivot axis between the cushioned headrest body and its supporting rodslying in approximately the center of the rear arc of curvature. Thecushioned body is additionally curved along the longitudinal dimension.

The two head rest supporting rods enter the cushioned body of the headrest in the region of its rounded back edge and are pivotally connectedthere by transversely extending pivot pins. The pins are, in turn,secured to a preferably tubular stabilization insert which is formedinto the cushioned body. Preferably, the pivot pins are accessible fromthe outside of the cushioned body through depressions which open towardthe transverse sides of the cushioned headrest body.

An insert having a sector-shaped headrest section extends from therounded rear edge of the headrest up to the pivot pins. The insert formsthe entrances for the supporting rods, and its sidewalls form thelimiting stops for the pivoting motion of the cushioned body.

The headrest-supporting rods are curved along their longitudinaldimensions and are each guided in a bushing with which there isassociated a detent spring. The arms of each spring engage through thewalls of a bushing into cooperating detent grooves on a supporting rod.The supporting rod grooves preferably open downward to ease raising andimpede lowering of the headrest.

The user of the head and neck rest, by pivotally adjusting the cushionedbody relative to the supporting rods and/or by vertically adjusting thesupporting rods themselves, can select the most favorable restingsurface. He can, for instance, place his head and/or neck in front ofthe wide surface of the cushioned body. Alternatively, the rear edge/arcof curvature of the wedge-shaped cushioned body can be placed in theregion of the user's neck with only the back of the head resting on theless-curved wide surface. Finally, the narrow-edged upper surface can beemployed as a neck support. The curvature of the cushioned body in itslongitudinal dimension corresponds in particular to a good support forthe rear of the head.

The inner construction of the head support is advantageous from thestandpoint of manufacturing technique, as it permits easy assembling ofthe headrest and results in a high degree of stability.

The cushioned body as a whole can be foamed in its final shape, with thestabilizing insert for the pivot pins of the supporting rods being fixedin the most favorable region of the cushioned body.

The sector-shaped insert is preferably dependably secured to the pivotpins and it holds the entrances for the supporting rods open from thefront in the case of manufacture of the cushioned body by the foamingprocess.

The position of the pivot pins, and their being accessible only towardthe sides of the cushioned body, is advantageous from he standpoint ofassembly and provides good protection in the case of accidents. Thecurved alignment of the supporting rods and their simple bushingguidance and detent spring locking are also advantageous from thestandpoint of manufacture and use, particularly in obtaining thegreatest variety of head and neck-supporting surfaces. The invention isshown in one illustrative embodiment in the accompanying drawings inwhich:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of the headrest designed in accordance withthe invention provided on an automobile seat;

FIG. 2 is a rear view of the headrest, partially in section;

FIG. 3 is a side view of the headrest;

FIG. 4 is a section along the line A-B of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 shows another embodiment of the detent grooves. The head and neckrest of the invention has a cushioned body 4 which is held by supportingrods 1 and 2 on the back 3 of an automobile seat.

Cushioned body 4 has a wedge-shaped side cross section (FIG. 1). Thenarrow upper edge 5 of this wedge is rounded. The rear, lower edge 6 ofthis wedge is also rounded with an approximately circular course. Thepivot pin 7 between the supporting rods 1 and 2 and the cushioned body 4is seated approximately at the center of the arc of curvature of rearedge 6. The cushioned body is also curved along its longitudinaldimension.

Both of supporting rods 1 and 2 are curved along their longitudinaldimension. Each supporting rod is guided in a bushing 8, which isfastened rigidly to the crossmember 9 of the seat back inner frame 10 ofthe car seat back 3. Each bushing 8 is bent in accordance with theradius of curvature of the supporting rods 1 and 2.

The central region of the wall of bushing 8 has two slots 11 locatedopposite each other. The arms 12 and 13 of a hairpinshaped detent spring14 extend through slots 11. Arms 12 and 13 also enter the detent grooves15 in each supporting rod.

Supporting rods 1 and 2 can be displaced easily with continuous stepwisedetenting in the bushings 8 to different vertical positions with respectto seat back 3. As a result of the longitudinal curvature of supportingrods 1 and 2, when cushioned headrest body 4 is displaced, it is shiftedsomewhat more forward or rearward.

Each supporting rod 1, 2 is provided with an eye 16 on its respectiveflattened end 1, 2'. The pivot pins 17 and 18 pass through eyes 16.

Flattened ends 1' 2 of the supporting rods 1,2 seat against the endsurfaces of a tubular stabilizing insert 19 in the cushioned body 4.Stabilizing insert 19 if foamed in place in the cushioned body. In orderto obtain a firm attachment to the cushioning material, the tubularstabilizing insert includes the perforations 19 through which the foammaterial can flow during the foaming process.

Pivot pins 17 and 18 are within cup-shaped depressions 20 and areaccessible from the transverse sides 4 of the cushioned body 4. Thedepressions are defined by inserted cups 21, which may be closed offfrom the outside by plugs.

Pivot pin 17 has s threaded surface. It passes through eye 16 of theflattened end 1 and is screwed into a threaded bore hole of the narrowside of stabilizing insert 19. Pivot pin 18, also threaded along itssurface, is secured by a nut 18' into insert 19. Pin 18 passes throughthe cup springs 22 which cause sufficient friction so that any chosenposition of the cushioned body 4 will be retained despite expectedautomotive vehicle vibrations.

The two pivot pins 17, 18 pass furthermore through openings 23 which aare provided on a sector-shaped (see FIG. 3) insert 24 and thereby holdthis insert in place. This insert extends from the rounded rear edge 6into the region of the pivot pins. Insert 24 rests, via the roundedprofile 29, on the stabilizing insert 19. The insert includes the twoentrances 25, 26 for the supporting rods 1 and 2, respectively. Thesidewalls 27 and 28 of each of the entrances form the limiting stops forthe pivoting motion of the cushioned body 4 in the directions indicatedby double-ended arrow x.

The cushioned body 4 can be provided with an outer covering 4'. In thiscase, protruding edges 21 of the cup inserts 21 and a protruding edge24' of the insert 24 surround the edge zones 4" of this outer covering4" which is otherwise firmly connected with the cushioning inner foam.

Detent grooves 15 may merely be in the form of lateral notches. Inaccordance with FIG. 5, however, grooves 15 have gradually wideningdownward slops l5 and rapidly widening upward slopes 15' for their exitramps. This causes grooves 15 to be downwardly extending. Spring arms 12and 13 readily slide along sloped ramps 15', whereby upward displacementof body 4 is easy. Downward displacement of body 4 is more difficult dueto the step shoulders 15'.

Although this invention has been described with respect to its preferredembodiments, it should be understood that many variations andmodifications will now be obvious to those skilled in the art, and it ispreferred, therefore, that the scope of the invention be limited not bythe specific disclosure herein, but only by the appended claims.

We claim:

1. Head and neck rest for automotive vehicle seat, including a cushionedbody; said body having a wedge-shaped side cross section, a rounded andnarrow upper edge (5), and l a circular rear edge (6) and being curvedalong its longitudinal front surface which confronts the head and neckof the user so as to generally conform to the contour of the head andneck;

supporting rods connected to said cushioned body by pivot support means;said supporting rods extending into and being supported in the vehicleseat, and being vertically adjustable with respect to the vehicle seat;stop means mounted within said cushioned body and having front and rearwalls which cooperate with said supporting rods to limit the forward andrearward movement of said cushioned body.

2. Head and neck rest according to claim 1, wherein said pivot supportmeans is at approximately the center of the arc of curvature of saidcircular rear edge.

3. Head and neck rest according to claim 1, wherein said pivot supportmeans comprises pivot pins accessible from outside said cushioned bodythrough depressions on the sides of said body.

4. Head and neck rest according to claim 1, wherein said supporting rodsenter said cushioned body in the vicinity of said circular rear edge;

said pivot support means includes a tubular stabilizing insert to whichsaid support rods are pivotally connected; said insert being foamsupported in place in said cushioned body.

5. Head and neck rest according to claim 4, wherein said pivot supportmeans comprises pivot pins accessible from outside said cushioned bodythrough depressions on the sides of said body.

6. Head and neck rest according to claim 4, further includmg said stopmeans comprising an insert having a sector-shaped side cross section,which insert extends from its wider end at said circular rear edge toits narrower end at said pivot support means; said insert forming theentrances for said supporting rods; and the walls of said insert, whichwalls define its sector shape, also form the limiting stops for thepivoting movement of said cushioned body.

7. In combination, the head and neck rest of claim 1, and an automotivevehicle seat;

said support rods being curved along their longitudinal dimensions; eachsaid rod being provided with spaced detent grooves, with each groove forreceiving a detent spring;

said seat including a separate bushing for each said support rod; eachsaid support rod passing through a said bushing; each said bushinghaving openings through its walls for enabling a detent spring to passtherethrough;

a detent spring for each bushing, which spring includes arms which passthrough said bushing wall openings and seat into a said detent groove inthe respective said supporting rod to hold said supporting rod againstlongitudinal shiftmg.

8. The combination of claim 7, wherein each said detent groove isdownwardly extending.

1. Head and neck rest for automotive vehicle seat, including a cushionedbody; said body having a wedge-shaped side cross section, a rounded andnarrow upper edge (5), and a circular rear edge (6) and being curvedalong its longitudinal front surface which confronts the head and neckof the user so as to generally conform to the contour of the head andneck; supporting rods connected to said cushioned body by pivot supportmeans; said supporting rods extending into and being supported in thevehicle seat, and being vertically adjustable with respect to thevehicle seat; stop means mounted within said cushioned body and havingfront and rear walls which cooperate with said supporting rods to limitthe forward and rearward movement of said cushioned body.
 2. Head andneck rest according to claim 1, wherein said pivot support means is atapproximately the center of the arc of curvature of said circular rearedge.
 3. Head and neck rest according to claim 1, wherein said pivotsupport means comprises pivot pins accessible from outside saidcushioned body through depressions on the sides of said body.
 4. Headand neck rest according to claim 1, wherein said supporting rods entersaid cushioned body in the vicinity of said circular rear edge; saidpivot support means includes a tubular stabilizing insert to which saidsupport rods are pivotally connected; said insert being foam supportedin place in said cushioned body.
 5. Head and neck rest according toclaim 4, wherein said pivot support means comprises pivot pinsaccessible from outside said cushioned body through depressions on thesides of said body.
 6. Head and neck rest according to claim 4, furtherincluding said stop means comprising an insert having a secTor-shapedside cross section, which insert extends from its wider end at saidcircular rear edge to its narrower end at said pivot support means; saidinsert forming the entrances for said supporting rods; and the walls ofsaid insert, which walls define its sector shape, also form the limitingstops for the pivoting movement of said cushioned body.
 7. Incombination, the head and neck rest of claim 1, and an automotivevehicle seat; said support rods being curved along their longitudinaldimensions; each said rod being provided with spaced detent grooves,with each groove for receiving a detent spring; said seat including aseparate bushing for each said support rod; each said support rodpassing through a said bushing; each said bushing having openingsthrough its walls for enabling a detent spring to pass therethrough; adetent spring for each bushing, which spring includes arms which passthrough said bushing wall openings and seat into a said detent groove inthe respective said supporting rod to hold said supporting rod againstlongitudinal shifting.
 8. The combination of claim 7, wherein each saiddetent groove is downwardly extending.